CSLV: Vernon Hills, New Trier Win in Pool; State XC Qualifiers, Big Soccer and Volleyball Winners

HP wins first playoff football game since 2009 and some personal news.

OF NOTE

Hopefully this will explain if the newsletter slows down a bit. 

I recently accepted the newly-created girls varsity head wrestling coach position at Highland Park High School, adding a third sport to the mix of what I coach (football, track and field). 

I’m super pumped for the opportunity, aspire to help grow the sport in the community and hope to continue putting shine on girls athletics in Chicagoland. 

FOOTBALL

Last CSL programs standing

• Maine South thumped Lockport 35-0 to claim a first-round victory in the Class 8A playoffs. 

• Highland Park thrashed Mather 56-6 in what was the first postseason victory for the Giants since 2009.

Maine West’s season came to an end at 9-1 after a 20-15 loss to Collinsville. 

Glenbrook South fell 42-18 to undefeated Barrington.

Niles West played a tight game on the road but fell 26-14 to Huntley. 

BOYS CROSS COUNTRY

Team Qualifiers

New Trier (Ben Crane was Sectional Champ)

Highland Park

Deerfield 

Individual Qualifiers (Separate from teams who did not qualify)

Evan Parker, Niles North

Andy Ordway, GBS

John Ihrke, GBN

Charles Blackmer, VH

Owynn Garrelts, MS

Sam Froum, ETHS 

GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY

Team qualifiers

Maine South

New Trier 

Individual Qualifiers

Anna Lester, VH

Stella Davis, ETHS

Maria Polyakov, GBN

Kaitlyn Burns, GBS

BOYS SOCCER

Aidan O’Neill’s 2nd half goal brought the New Trier Trevians a 2-1 sectional title victory over Leyden. Ethan Green netted the other goal. 

Read The Record North Shore’s coverage.

The Trevians won the sectional semifinal at Evanston’s Lazier Field with a pair of 2nd OT goals in a 3-1 victory. O’Neill netted 2 of the Trevians scores and Calyx Hoover added the final one. 

Glenbrook North defeated previously unbeaten Palatine 2-1 to win a sectional title, behind Ian Lee’s 2 goals. Chicagolandsoccer covered the contest.

GBN will play Elgin Tuesday in a super-sectional contest. 

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL

Deerfield beat St. Viator 25-15, 26-28, 26-24 in a regional final and will play Wheaton Academy at St. Francis on Monday. 

Maine South defeated Niles West for a regional title, 25-20, 25-13 to claim a regional title and advances to play New Trier at Glenbrook South on Monday. 

New Trier beat Niles North 25-12, 25-16 to earn a regional title and advanced to play Maine South. 

Glenbrook South emerged victorious over Lane Tech 25-14, 25-14 to claim a regional title and will host Loyola Academy Monday. 

Vernon Hills lost in a regional final matchup with St. Francis 25-9, 25-18. 

GBN lost a regional final to Loyola Academy. 

GIRLS SWIM & DIVE 

Photo via VH Girls Swim And Dive on Twitter/X.

Vernon Hills brought home a team title, with Highland Park taking 2nd, Niles West 3rd, Niles North 4th and Maine West 5th. 

The Cougars won the 200 medley relay, 100 free (Emma Fricano) and the 100 back (Sophia Kamarauli) and had great depth in numerous events, including 3rd, 4th and 5th place in diving to pull out the team victory. 

Highland Park’s Brooke Eliacin won the 100 yard breast, 50 free, and was on the winning 200 free relay and 400 free relay. HP’s Emily Fraser also won the 200 free, 500 free and was on the winning relays alongside Eliacin. 

Niles North’s Eva Shawver broke her own school diving record.

Niles West’s Stephanie Avram won the diving title with a score of 454.50.

New Trier took the South, with Evanston garnering 2nd, Maine South 3rd, Deerfield 4th, GBN 5th and GBS 6th. 

The Trevians won in the 50 free (Maeve O’Donnell), 100 Fly (Zara Bolton) and 100 back (Marin Shimkus) and the 400 free relay. 

Sydney Hall won the diving with a 431.25 for GBS.

Deerfield took the 200 Medley Relay and 200 free relay. 

GRAD CATCHUPS

A pair of former CSL gridiron standouts, Maine South’s Rowan Keefe and Vernon Hills’ Ryan Mann, have had recent success for Valparaiso football. 

Mann, a redshirt sophomore piled up 102 yards on 12 carries and had a receiving and rushing score in a loss to Morehead State on Oct. 14.

Keefe, a redshirt freshman, shined in the 2nd half of a loss to Davidson on Oct 21, passing for 187 yards on 9 of 12 attempts and threw for 3 TD passes. 

Evanston graduate Mark Cannon recorded his first career interception for Illinois State football and also had 8 tackles in the game, a 24-21 loss to UNI.

DID YOU SEE?

Photo via GBN HS Athletics on Twitter/X.

The combined GBN/GBS field hockey squad knocked off New Trier 1-0 to claim a state title. 

Celebration

Glenbrook South flag football barely fell to eventual state champion Lane Tech, 18-15, in the first round of this past week’s state championships at Halas Hall.

Maine East has a new girls head soccer coach. Harold Bailey will take over the program. 

College commits

Reese Leahy, New Trier, 2024

Committed to: Miami Hurricanes rowing

Dylan Jeppe, New Trier, 2024

Committed to: Macalaster College Football

Ben Toft, New Trier, 2025

Committed to: Iowa, Baseball

Evanston graduate Nojel Eastern was drafted by the Iowa Wolves of the NBA G League.